God Can Change His Mind

Today's reading contains some interesting information about our God... He can change His mind! Jeremiah 18 is the location for our discussion. For many people, this is a conflict with their belief system. They believe that God has already determined the outcome of every life and that we can't change anything. Not so according to these verses...

Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying:  “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?” says the Lord. “Look, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel!  The instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, to pull down, and to destroy it,  if that nation against whom I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I thought to bring upon it.  And the instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it, if it does evil in My sight so that it does not obey My voice, then I will relent concerning the good with which I said I would benefit it. (Jeremiah 18:5-12)

God says that human conduct can change His plans. What we do impacts what He does. That is a difficult teaching to some. They hold that you are either part of God's elect or you are not and there is nothing you can do about it. Everything was predetermined (predestined) from the beginning and nothing we do can change that. And while there are difficult scriptures that might lead someone to this conclusion, there are many others that make it abundantly clear that God made us with the ability to choose and that those choices will be judged by Him. (more on that at a later date)

I want us to notice the "ifs" in this section of scripture. First, "if that nation against whom I have spoken turns from its evil". This indicates that the people against whom God had spoken had the ability to hear and choose to obey Him. And it indicates that because of the choice they made, God changed His mind. He had one plan, to destroy them, but because the people chose to listen to Him, He acted differently. Secondly, "if it does evil in My sight so that it does not obey My voice". In the case where people hear His voice and do not obey, His plan for blessings turn into plans for destruction.

While He knows the end from the beginning, knowledge of our choices does not take away our ability to choose. I know my children well (not nearly as well as God knows us) and I know for the most part what they will choose in every circumstance. My knowledge of what choices they will make does not remove their ability to choose. (not a great analogy, but the best I can do to convey the thought)

The Bible is full of "ifs". They set forth conditions with blessings or consequences.

"if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."

"If you love Me, keep My commandments."

In fact the word "if" appears in the Bible some 1600 times. God places conditions where He chooses to place conditions. My response to His word will determine His response to my conduct. May we hear His word and choose to be obedient to His will. When we do, life here is far better and life hereafter is assured. When we turn from our own ways to follow Him, His plan for our lives takes a total turn. While at one time we were destined for destruction, now we are destined for eternal life with Him. As the old guy in Indiana Jones once said... "you must choose, but choose wisely". Our choices matter, they have eternal consequences.